Course Title: Computing Research and Project Preparation

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Computing Research and Project Preparation

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
COSC2148	City Campus	Undergraduate	140H Computer Science & Information Technology	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006, Sem 2 2006, Sem 1 2007, Sem 2 2007, Sem 1 2008, Sem 2 2008, Sem 1 2009, Sem 2 2009, Sem 1 2010, Sem 2 2010, Sem 1 2011, Sem 2 2011, Sem 2 2012, Sem 1 2013, Sem 1 2015, Sem 1 2016
COSC2148	City Campus	Undergraduate	171H School of Science	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2017, Sem 1 2018, Sem 1 2019, Sem 1 2020, Sem 1 2021
COSC2148	City Campus	Undergraduate	175H Computing Technologies	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2022, Sem 1 2023, Sem 1 2024
COSC2149	City Campus	Postgraduate	140H Computer Science & Information Technology	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006, Sem 2 2006, Sem 1 2007, Sem 2 2007, Sem 1 2008, Sem 2 2008, Sem 1 2009, Sem 2 2009, Sem 1 2010, Sem 2 2010, Sem 1 2011, Sem 2 2011, Sem 2 2012, Sem 1 2013, Sem 1 2014, Sem 1 2015, Sem 1 2016
COSC2149	City Campus	Postgraduate	171H School of Science	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2017, Sem 1 2018, Sem 1 2019, Sem 1 2020, Sem 1 2021
COSC2149	City Campus	Postgraduate	175H Computing Technologies	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2023, Sem 1 2024
COSC2150	City Campus	Research	140H Computer Science & Information Technology	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006, Sem 2 2006, Sem 1 2007, Sem 2 2007, Sem 1 2008, Sem 2 2008, Sem 1 2009, Sem 1 2010, Sem 2 2010, Sem 1 2011, Sem 2 2011, Sem 1 2012, Sem 2 2012, Sem 1 2013
COSC2991	RMIT University Vietnam	Postgraduate	175H Computing Technologies	Face-to-Face	Viet2 2023, Viet2 2024

Course Coordinator: Professor Zahir Tari

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3782

Course Coordinator Email: zahir.tari@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: -

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

You must not enrol in this course unless it is explicitly listed on your Enrolment Program Structure.

Course Description

This course focuses on research techniques and project management methods designed specifically for computing. You will explore fundamental research principles and both qualitative and quantitative research methods, as well as intellectual property, research integrity, and ethics. Additionally, you'll expand your understanding of key agile project methodologies and critically analyse their usability compared to traditional project management approaches.

Throughout the course, you will learn critical analysis of literature, crafting research questions, and writing comprehensive reviews. You'll also develop skills in articulating research objectives, methodologies, and outcomes within proposals. Ethical considerations, comparative analysis of agile versus traditional methods, and practical experience in project planning and success criteria assessment are integral components of the course.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Program Learning Outcomes 

This course contributes to the following program learning outcomes:

This course contributes to the program learning outcomes for the following program(s):

MC159 Master of Cyber Security
MC208 Master of Information Technology
MC267 Master of Data Science
MC271 Master of Artificial Intelligence

PLO 1: Apply an advanced and integrated understanding of scientific theories, principles, concepts, and practices in Cyber Security.
PLO 2: Design Cyber Security systems to meet enterprise requirements by employing advanced Cyber Security development tools, techniques and emerging technologies.
PLO 3: Design and implement Cyber Security solutions for contemporary Cyber Security issues using systematic problem solving and decision-making methodologies.
PLO 4: Formulate judgements in a team environment to develop Cyber Security solutions that adhere to organisational governance, professional standards, legal and ethical frameworks.
PLO 5: Communicate and collaborate ideas, threat analysis outcomes, project proposals and deliverables to multidisciplinary stakeholders in various contexts, utilising a variety of digital platforms and traditional formats
PLO 7: Plan and execute research projects that develop and deliver innovative strategies and technology-based solutions to effectively address complex Cyber Security issues.

For more information on the program learning outcomes for your program, please see the program guide.

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

CLO 1: Critically analyse literature, formulate research questions, and compose comprehensive literature reviews for research projects.
CLO 2: Develop research proposals to articulate research objectives, methodologies, and anticipated outcomes.
CLO 3: Identify and address potential intellectual property, research integrity, and ethics issues in research to make informed and ethically sound decisions.
CLO 4: Compare and critique agile methodologies against traditional project management practices.
CLO 5: Develop research project plans to address identified research questions, employing a variety of proprietary and non-proprietary project management tools.
CLO 6: Identify relevant metrics to assess the success of projects within the computing sector. 

Overview of Learning Activities

The learning activities in this course include:

• Lectorials presenting general research principles, methodologies and practices of data collection (both qualitative and quantitative) and analysis in research, intellectual property, research integrity and ethics, project management concepts, Project Governance and Methodologies/
• Meetings with your research supervisor, to discuss issues related to application of research method knowledge in the development of an example research proposal
• Directed reading and analysis of topics related to the lectures
• Tutorials involving group discussions based on analysis of research literature pre-reading
• Presentation of research concepts, critically evaluate other’s presentations and receive feedback on own presentation.
• Feedback sessions: Another important learning activity is private study, working on aspects of the project in a self-directed and autonomous manner within a team framework. To support you in this activity, we will schedule feedback sessions – drop-in sessions where you can ask questions on the course material.
• Delivery may be face to face, online or a mix of both

Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through myRMIT Studies Course. The learning resources accessible through myRMIT Studies Course include: course related material, e-books, journals and databases. There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal.

Overview of Assessment

Your written reports will be based on regular reading and analysis of a variety of topics concerning how to conduct quality research in computer science. You will also devise a preliminary research proposal (based on your problem analysis and proposed solutions), followed by development into a final proposal. You will be assessed through as oral presentations and group discussion.

Project management skills will be assessed via team-based work progress checks and individual assignments. The teambased assessments involve team analysis of an industry scenario and develop core Scrum artefacts, such as backlogs, user stories, burn-down chart, etc. You will be required to demonstrate evidence of problem-solving, analysis of requirements, and consideration of systems design and quality assurance.

This course has no hurdle requirements.

Assessment tasks

Assessment 1: First draft research proposal
Weighting 25%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, and 3

Assessment 2: Final research proposal and presentation
Weighting 35%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, and 3

Assessment 3: Team-based Project Report
Weighting: 40%
This assessment task supports CLOs 4, 5 and 6.

If you have a long-term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.